meg-as



(No Model.).

T. E. MEGGS.

CARPET STRETGHER. No. 395.341. Patented Jan. 1,-1889.

WITNESSES v I INVENTOR% "BY 4 I W A 770mm UNITED STATES PATENT EFICE,

THOMAS E. MEoes, OF eANANooUE, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO THE sT. LAWRENCE STEEL AND WIRE COMPANY, (LIMITED,) OF SAME PEACE.

CARPET- STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 395,341, dated January 1, 1889.

7 Application filed May 15, 1888. Serial No. 273,968. (No model.)

To 04% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS EDWARD MEGGS, of Gananoque, Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented a certain new and use- 5 ful Improvement in Carpet Stretchers, of

which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved carpet-stretcher for tightening or pulling into place carpets or other fabrics in the process of being laid; and it consists of a movable block or platform, to the under side of which is attached a pad, of heavy cloth or leather, provided with wires or pins, and to the upper side of which is attached a ratchet I 5 and hooked horizontal bar. To the top of the bar is connected a pawl so arranged as to engage with the teeth of the ratchet, and to this pawl is hinged an arm connecting the same to a handle or lever having its lower end shaped or curved to work as a pawl in the ratchet.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan view of my improved carpet-stretcher, and Fi 2 a side view thereof.

2 5 A represents a movable block or platform, of any convenient form, provided with a cloth or leather pad, B, attached to its under side, and having a series of pointed wires or pins,

C, projectingtherefrom. In the top of the 0 block A is a groove, D, Over which is fastened, by means of its flanged sides, a struckup or cast plate, E, having its top provided with a series of ratchet-teeth, F, beneath which and through the groove D extends a 3 5 hooked horizontal bar, G. To the top of the bar G, near its hooked end, is hinged a pawl, II, which engages with the teeth I? of the ratchet, and is worked by means of a handle or lever, l, fulcrumed at the end of the arm J, which is hinged to the pawl H. The short arm K of the lever or handle I is curved, which also works in the ratchet F.

The manner of using my invention is as follows: After the carpet is spread upon the floor and fastened at one side of the room, to draw it taut the horizontal bar of the stretcher is run out to its full length, and after placing the block on the carpet and engaging the pointed Wires or pins therewith the hook at the end of the horizontal bar is driven into the floor at the edge of the base-board. Then by working the handle of the stretcher the short arm thereof is caused to engage with the teeth of the ratchet, moving the block, and with it the carpet, toward the hook end of the hori- 5 5 zontal bar, and at the same time causing the pawl attached to the bar to engage with the ratchet-teeth, thus preventing the block from receding when the handle is again worked for the purpose of further stretching or tighten- 6o ing the carpet.

It will readily be seen that by the use of my improved stretcher a carpet can be smoothly and quickly laid without tearing or otherwise injurin it.

Obviously an equivalent of the above device might be used without departing from the spirit of my invention. For instance, a lever with geared extremity for working the ratcheted sliding hooked bar might be em ployed instead of the construct-ion shown.

I claim as my invention 1. A carpet-stretcher consisting of a movable platform or base, a pad connected to the under side thereof and provided with pins or wires, a struck-up or cast flanged plate at tached to the platform, a hooked bar beneath the plate, a lever which engages with ratchetteeth upon the flanged plate, and an arm which connects said lever to a pawl attached to the So hooked bar, substantially as shown and described.

A carpetstretcher consisting of a grooved platform or base, A, pad B, attached to the under side thereof and protdded with pins or 8 5 wires C, hooked bar G, which extends through groove 'D in the platform or base A beneath a struck-up or cast flanged plate, E, a pawl, H, attached to hook-bar G and engaging with ratchet-teeth F, and a lever or handle, I, connected to pawl H by arm J, the short arm K of lever I so constructed as to engage with the ratchet-teeth of the plate E, substantially as shown and described.

- THOMAS E. MEGGS.

Witnesses:

A. P. RUssELL, O. F. TAFFIN. 

